Tag Archives: oncologist

Jill’s Story

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Carol

After a breast cancer diagnosis from her local oncologist, Jill arrived at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for a second opinion.  During a time of uncertainty, Jill was comforted by the professional and compassionate staff at Dana-Farber.  When Jill worries she’ll have to circle the garage for a parking spot, she is greeted by valet staff.  When she is hungry during appointment-filled days, she goes to a snack station conveniently located on her clinical floor.  And when Jill has questions, her physicians, surgeons and entire care team are there to support her through treatment.  Dana-Farber is a special place that defines level …

 

After Active Treatment…Then What?

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Jean

After completing active treatment your treatment journey may not be over.
Depending on the results of the path report there may still be other treatments or medication regimens that your oncologist recommends to prevent a recurrence.
If your cancer was estrogen-fed (ER positive) your oncologist will want you to take hormone therapy(orally) daily for five years. It is important that you understand why you are taking this medication; how it is intended to work in your body; what you can anticipate as side effects and what actions and/or medications you can take to reduce the discomfort of any sided effects you may …

 

Eating Well During Treatment is a Challenge!

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Jean

The side effects of chemo and radiation leave many of us with little appetite. If  it isn’t nausea or mouth sores that keep us from eating well,  it is often that we lose interest in food because we are unable to smell or taste what we are trying to eat. If we have to cook for ourselves, being exhausted from treatment leads to grabbing anything easy and handy rather than preparing something nutritious. The fortified drinks we get in the chemo room or radiation area just don’t count as eating. They may give us the nutrients we need, but they …

 

It’s Not About the Hair!

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Jean

This guest post is about Debra Jarvis, an oncology chaplain and breast cancer survivor. The post is in Debra’s own words, taken from the Introduction in her book, It’s Not About the Hair: And Other Certainties of Life and Cancer.
I am the general oncology outpatient chaplain at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). I see patients who are receiving chemotherapy, getting radiation, having their blood drawn, or waiting to see their oncologists.
I was in my fourth year at the SCCA when I received the upsetting news that my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. However, I didn’t have much …

 

Tamoxifen…A Five -Year Trip

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Jean

Following my lumpectomy and radiation for my first cancer, my oncologist was so happy to tell me that my tumor was estrogen positive and I could take Tamoxifen to help prevent a recurrence. He made it sound like I had won the lottery. “Just take one pill a day for five years,” he said. After what I had been through in the previous six months, taking  a pill a day seemed like a walk in the park.
When I returned for my three-month check up I was five pounds heavier and had a spare tire of fat forming around my midriff. …